Characteristics of local field potentials correlate with pain relief by deep brain stimulation

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the link between neuronal activity recorded from the sensory thalamus and periventricular gray/periaqueductal gray (PVAG) and pain relief by deep brain stimulation (DBS).

Methods: Local field potentials (LFPs) were recorded from the sensory thalamus and PVAG post-operatively from ten patients with neuropathic pain. The LFPs were quantified using spectral and time-frequency analysis, the relationship between the LFPs and pain relief was quantified with nonlinear correlation analysis.

Results: The theta oscillations of both sensory thalamus and PVAG correlated inversely with pain relief. The high beta oscillations in the sensory thalamus and the alpha oscillations in the PVAG correlated positively with pain relief. Moreover, the ratio of high-power duration to low-power duration of theta band activity in the sensory thalamus and PVAG correlated inversely with pain relief. The duration ratio at the high beta band in the sensory thalamus correlated positively with pain relief.

Conclusions: Our results reveal distinct neuronal oscillations at the theta, alpha, and beta frequencies correlating with pain relief by DBS.

Significance: The study provides quantitative measures for predicting the outcomes of neuropathic pain relief by DBS as well as potential biomarkers for developing adaptive stimulation strategies.

Keywords: Deep brain stimulation; Local field potentials; Neural oscillations; Neuropathic pain; Spectra; Time–frequency.